A classic Mercedes-Benz owned by The Beatles’ lead guitarist, George Harrison, is up for auction on the Collecting Cars platform.
As if the ownership history was not enough, this is also a rare W100 version of the 600 limousine.
Typically known as the ‘Grosse Mercedes’, the 600 comes packed with luxury features and elaborate 1960s technology.
All Those Years Ago
Launched in 1963, the Mercedes-Benz 600 replaced the previous 300D ‘Adenauer’ as the marque’s flagship model. It became a hit with both dictators and celebrities.
Elvis Presley was a noted former owner of a 600, having registered one to his Graceland address.
Running a 600 was not for the faint of heart or short of pocket. Mercedes-Benz had developed a brand-new engine for the four-door: the M100 6.3 V8.
With 250 hp, it was powerful, but had to contend with plenty of weight. A four-speed automatic transmission focuses on smoothness over speed.
My Sweet Lord
However, what made the 600 truly special was its 150-bar hydraulic system. This operates the windows, door locks, seats, and sunroof, all without the noise of an electric motor.
Mercedes-Benz produced 2,190 examples of the 600 in short-wheelbase form between 1967 and 1981. This particular car was used as a dealership demonstrator, before being purchased by George Harrison.
Numerous photos supplied with the car show it during Harrison’s ownership. At the time, the car wore the UK registration number ‘OLA 600E’, which has now been returned to the car.
Got My Mind Set on You
The 600 is currently owned by businessman and entrepreneur, Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia. He describes it as being “an important piece of rock and roll history”, and has spent much on maintenance and refurbishment work.
This includes a complete overhaul of the hydraulic system, with the bumpers and headlights returned to period-correct style. The leather interior is said to be original, and in good condition, with everything working as it should.
It means whoever purchases the 600 will have a usable classic car, with an extraordinary ownership history.
As expected, the Mercedes has already attracted plenty of attention. The auction on Collecting Cars is due to run until Tuesday, 26 July, so expect the bids to keep on climbing.
I’ve just broken a man’s Morris Marina. There are owners’ clubs stickers in the windows. It’s a rare classic car, and his pride and joy. And it’s just relieved itself of oil all over the floor while I was doing doughnuts.
Fortunately, Patxi Beasley is a pretty chilled guy. A young lad who works for a Land Rover specialist, I ask him how on earth he came to own a Morris Marina.
“I wanted a car from this era,” he told me. “And it needed to be rear-wheel drive.”
Of course, back when the Marina was launched in 1971, most of its competitors were rear-driven. But the Marina seemed a bit of a backward step for British Leyland. The firm had been pumping out the Issigonis-designed Mini for more than a decade, the front-wheel-drive Austin Maxi was introduced two years earlier, and the ‘innovative’ new Allegro was on its way.
But rear-wheel drive is what the market wanted, so that’s what the market got. The Marina was a success for BL, regularly appearing in the top three cars on sale in the UK – despite receiving a pasting from the automotive press for its understeer-prone handling.
Today, the Morris Marina still hasn’t got a brilliant reputation. Jeremy Clarkson described it as “one of the worst cars ever made” and, after offending the owners’ club by setting one on fire, the former Top Gear host would regularly drop pianos on Marinas as part of an ongoing gag.
No scene tax
The advantage of buying a Morris Marina today over, say, a first- or second-generation Ford Escort is its price. Hardly anyone wants them.
“I picked it up off eBay for £720,” explains Beasley. “It had been in a garage for years.”
So why is he so relaxed about me breaking his pride and joy? Well, in part because it’s not exactly original. “It’s got a 2.0-litre Zetec engine out of a Ford Mondeo at the moment. It hasn’t been right for a while. We’ve got a pile of engines, so I’ll just do a swap.”
The Marina’s infamous rear leaf springs (partly to blame for the ‘bad handling’ claims by motoring journalists of the time) have been replaced by coilover springs and dampers. And the differential has been welded. The result? A Marina that’ll go sideways quicker than you can say ‘smoked tyres’.
My drive was part of a drift day organised by Falken Tyres. But, it’s not all about skidding British Leyland’s finest sideways, there are some grown-up cars to drive, too…
Falken quick
Like this one. A Nissan 200SX S14 used as a training car by Learn2Drift, ‘Betty’ has a 260hp turbocharged engine (the firm also had a 130hp naturally-aspirated 200SX to break drifters in gently).
It’s clear why the Nissan is so popular in the drifting scene. Capable of holding extreme angles and taking serious abuse – despite this car’s 250,000 miles on the clock – it must be one of the most accessible ways into drifting.
It’s not just for beginners, though. James Deane is a Falken Motorsport drift driver with several Formula Drift Championship titles under his belt.
His car was a frankly mental Nissan 200SX (S14) powered by a twin-turbocharged six-cylinder Toyota Supra engine. With 750hp, plus more lock than a high-security prison, Dean’s car makes holding near-90-degree drifts look like child’s play. From the outside, at least.
Trucking mega
So back to the obscure stuff – and a 1,250hp Volvo RG13 racing truck driven by British Truck Racing Champion Stuart Oliver.
Make no mistake, this is very different to a standard truck used for pounding our motorways lugging heavy loads. The inside feels more akin to a (very large) race car, with bucket seats and harnesses holding you in place.
Shod with 315mm-wide Falken tyres, the Volvo is surprisingly easy to get sideways – or, at least, Oliver makes it look that way. It’s a weird thing, looking out of the side window of a truck as it squeals around cones, but also really good fun. Like the Marina, it shouldn’t work, but it does.
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The Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles is set to open a brand-new exhibition dedicated to Formula 1 cars.
Opening on July 24, “Pole Position: The Juan Gonzalez Formula 1 Collection”, includes F1 racers from the 1980s through to 2018.
Ten cars owned by Juan Gonzalez, Chairman of the Board of Mission Foods, will be accompanied by an immersive 180-degree video experience.
Taking pole position
Two of the cars on show at the Petersen Museum will have a link to the late Ayrton Senna.
The bright yellow Lotus 99T took the Brazilian driver to two victories in the 1987 season. This included the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.
The 1994 Williams FW15D is one of the last Formula 1 cars driven by Senna before his tragic death.
Intended for use in the 1994 Formula 1 World Championship, the FW15D was developed from the team’s successful 1993 racer. A change in rules meant the car would be sidelined, with a new model created instead.
This left the FW15D to be used for early testing only. Yet the association with Ayrton Senna still makes it an important piece of Formula 1 history.
Three decades of F1 history
Juan Gonzalez has a passion for McLaren Racing cars, with five set to appear in the exhibition. Mission Foods is a sponsor of the McLaren Formula team, along with the Arrow McLaren SP IndyCar team.
Other cars on display will include a pair of Ferraris, and a Toro Rosso from 2017.
Petersen Executive Director, Terry L. Karges commented that: “Seeing these cars up close and personal is a rare opportunity. Anyone who is fascinated by the mechanics of speed and aerodynamics will be entranced by this stunning display of sophisticated machinery.”
The Pole Position exhibition will be on display in the Charles Nearburg Family Gallery until June 5, 2022.
Limited motorway service station chargepoint availability and slow roll-out of on-street and rural electric car charging must be addressed if the UK is to meet its net zero commitment, the Competitions and Markets Authority has announced.
Calling chargepoint access a ‘postcode lottery’, the CMA has outlined a number of measures to address concerns with the chargepoint sector.
This includes a probe into long-term exclusive arrangements at motorway services.
The CMA has also noted worries about difficulties and frustrations with using and paying for chargepoints, which “risks reducing people’s confidence and trust”.
To address this, the government authority has stated charging “should be as simple as filling up with petrol or diesel”.
CMA chief executive Andrew Coscelli said the challenges facing the creation of an entirely new charging sector should not be underestimated.
“Some areas of the roll-out are going well and the UK’s network is growing – but it’s clear that other parts, like charging at motorway service stations and on-street, have much bigger hurdles to overcome.
“There needs to be action now to address the postcode lottery in electric vehicle charging.”
‘Easy and simple’
The CMA has issued four principles that it says will ensure charging will be as easy as filling up with petrol or diesel:
Working chargepoints must be easy to find – e.g. live availability and working status
Charging must be simple and quick to pay for – no need to sign up and wide contactless availability
Cost of charging must be clear with standard pricing, such as per kWh
Charging must be accessible with all chargepoints compatible with all EVs
A competition law investigation into long-term exclusive arrangements for motorway services has also been launched.
We’ve launched an investigation into long-term exclusivity of the supply of electric vehicle chargepoints on or near motorways.
This builds on the work we are already doing in this sector.
— Competition & Markets Authority (@CMAgovUK) July 23, 2021
Currently, Ecotricity’s Electric Highway works with three motorway service operators: Moto, Roadchef and Extra. It provides four in five chargepoints at motorway service stations, in exclusive long-term agreements lasting 10-15 years.
The CMA “is concerned that these arrangements make it difficult for other operations to provide competing chargepoints at motorway service stations”.
Motorists risk “losing out on the benefits of competition, such as greater provision, more choice competitive prices and reliable, high-quality chargepoints”.
Electric Highway has consistently ranked one of the worst chargepoint providers in surveys of EV motorists.
The 2020-21 FIA Formula E season is heading to London this weekend, with a double-header event.
With races on Saturday and Sunday, the electric single-seater championship will compete on a street circuit around the ExCel London convention centre.
With British driver Sam Bird leading the championship, this weekend’s two races could be even more significant.
If you are new to Formula E, or need to refresh about the latest changes, read on to get fully charged.
OK, what exactly is Formula E?
Put simply, it is the only FIA-sanctioned single-seater electric motorsport championship in the world. Imagine Formula One-style race cars, but powered by batteries, and you are on the right lines.
The championship began as a way to promote the significant development of electric vehicle technology, and to prove that battery power does not have to be boring. However, the championship has managed to become about more than just the sheer novelty of electric racing.
Formula E is now into its seventh season, and has grown substantially in popularity. This season sees a total of twelve teams competing, with multiple major car manufacturers involved.
What has changed for the 2020-2021 Formula E season?
FIA President Jean Todt with Formula E founder and chairman Alejandro Agag
The biggest change for the 2020-2021 season is that Formula E is now recognised as an official FIA World Championship.
This puts Formula E at the same level as competitions like Formula One, the World Endurance Championship, and the World Rally Championship.
Along with an extra degree of prestige, it also means a new official title of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.
What cars do they use in Formula E?
All teams use the same identical Spark SRT05e chassis, with batteries supplied by McLaren Advanced Technology. Hitting 0-60 mph in 2.8 seconds, with a potential 174 mph top speed, means these are serious racing cars.
Teams are able to supply and develop their own electric powertrains, but the rules are kept tight to ensure the racing is close on track. Maximum power output for each car totals 250 kW (335 hp), reduced to 200 kW (270 hp) in race mode.
The cars do feature aerodynamic wings and spoilers, but are nowhere near as intricate as those seen in Formula One. Again, this helps cars race in close proximity to each other, encouraging as much overtaking as possible.
Formula E had planned to introduce a modified car for the 2020-21 season. However, Coronavirus saw the GEN2 Evo idea shelved, with an all-new car planned for the 2022-23 season instead.
Which car manufacturers are involved in Formula E?
With electric cars becoming more prevalent on the road, manufacturers have seized on Formula E as an opportunity to demonstrate to the world what they can do.
This season sees seven familiar manufacturers involved. Premium German companies are well represented, with Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and BMW all involved.
Nissan, DS Automobiles, and Jaguar on the grid for 2020-21, too.
Where does Formula E take place?
Formula E is dedicated to bringing action straight to the fans, which means racing takes place on street circuits in major cities throughout the world.
The circuits used are shorter in length than those used in Formula One, but feature tight layouts designed to encourage overtaking. Taking place with dramatic backdrops only boosts the appeal.
The 2020-21 season has races planned to take place in London, Rome, New York, and Berlin amongst others.
Is Formula E exciting to watch?
Equal machinery, plus talented drivers and compact circuits, means the competition is as fierce as you would imagine.
Bumping and barging on track is a common occurrence, aided by the strong design of the cars. In fact, one of the reasons Formula E wanted to introduce the GEN2 Evo car was to try and stop drivers from making contact on track!
Drivers have the use of ‘Attack Mode’, which sounds like something inspired by Mario Kart. By moving off the racing line to run through a special designated area of the track, drivers receive a temporary 10 kW (13 HP) power boost for their car.
Fans can also use social media to vote for their preferred driver in the run up to each E-Prix. The most popular five drivers then receive an extra ‘Fanboost’ of power to deploy during the second half of the race.
Will I know any of the Formula E drivers?
Initially stocked with a wealth of ex-F1 racers, the Formula E grid has become a desirable motorsport career choice for a wide array of drivers.
Formula One experience is still represented for 2020-21, though. Stoffel Vandoorne, Pascal Wehrlein, Sebastien Buemi, and Jean-Eric Vergne all previously raced in Formula One before making the switch to EV racing.
Formula E isn’t all about retired F1 drivers though. André Lotterer, who drives for Porsche, won the World Endurance Championship in 2012. Dutch driver Nyck de Vries was the 2019 Formula 2 champion, and is part of the Mercedes-Benz team.
Which British drivers compete in Formula E?
Sam Bird, who drives for the Jaguar Racing team, is pictured here winning the second New York ePrix race. As the championship leader, he is the Brit to watch at the London races. Joining him on the grid will be six other British drivers.
Cumbrian-born Oliver Turvey has raced in multiple championships, and is a McLaren F1 test driver.
Tom Blomqvist, who has Swedish dual nationality, is the son of Stig Blomqvist, the famed World Rally driver.
Barnsley’s own Oliver Rowland is now into his fourth Formula E season, and currently races for the Nissan e.dams team. BMW Andretti driver Jake Dennis has previously competed in the DTM series.
Both Alex Sims and Alex Lynn drive for the Mahindra Racing outfit.
Who is the current Formula E champion?
Portugese driver António Félix da Costa took a dominant Drivers’ Championship victory in the 2019-20 Formula E season.
Driving for the DS Techeetah team, Félix da Costa notched up three wins from 11 rounds, and scored two additional podiums. It meant he almost doubled the points scored by Stoffel Vandoorne, who claimed second in the championship.
The DS Techeetah team also scooped the 2019-20 Teams’ Championship for 2019-20, making it back-to-back success for the Chinese outfit. Nissan finished second, with Mercedes-Benz in third.
What is the future of Formula E?
The introduction of a new third-generation ‘Gen3’ Formula E car for the 2022-23 season is the biggest development on the sport’s horizon.
Under the Gen3 rules, Formula E would impose exit penalties on manufacturers who leave the series early. It means manufacturers may need to think longer about signing up for the new series.
The ever-increasing importance of electric vehicles is likely to keep Formula E as an important marketing tool.
BMW and Audi made shock announcements before the 2020-21 Formula E season had even started. Both German manufacturers have stated that they will leave the sport at the end of the season, but committed to race in 2020-21 as planned.
However, Jaguar Land Rover has made a long-term commitment that the Jaguar Racing team will remain within the sport.
How can I watch Formula E?
Multiple options exist to watch the 2020-21 Formula E season.
In the United Kingdom the BBC will provide live coverage of each E-Prix. This will be done through the BBC Sport website, via the Red Button interactive service, and iPlayer.
For the two London rounds, both races will be broadcast live on Channel 4.
Eurosport will air live qualifying and race action, too.
United States viewers can watch all races live through CBS Sports, with a selection to be featured on the CBS Television network. CBS Sports Digital will offer streaming for qualifying.
Formula E also offers live streaming through dedicated YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and Twitch channels.
Established in 1956, the Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance laid claim to being the world’s longest continuously running event of its kind.
Coronavirus forced an unexpected pause in 2020, but the San Francisco Bay Area show returned to full health in 2021.
Three days of motoring events concluded with the Concours d’Elegance on Sunday, July 18. More than 200 classic and exotic cars packed the Crystal Springs Golf Course in Burlingame.
Best of Show for 2021
No self-respecting concours event would be without awards, and the Hillsborough saw numerous classes judged.
However, the most important prize of all is the coveted ‘Best of Show’ award. Selected by the Chief Judge and two Honorary Judges, this award selects the single overall top car from the various class winners.
For 2021, the impeccable 1937 Horch 853 Sport Cabriolet scooped Best of Show glory. Owned by Aaron and Valerie Weiss, the rare Horch was noted as delivering the “ultimate in elegance”.
Previously recognized at both the Pebble Beach and Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, the Horch’s success should be no surprise.
BMW and Ford take center stage
Each year, the Hillsborough Concours chooses to honor the histories of certain manufacturers. For 2021, both BMW and Ford were given special recognition on the concours field.
BMW and Ford models were judged in six special classes, but also claimed some of the top prizes on offer.
Winning the Chairman’s Award, hand-picked by new chairman Glen Egan, was this rare BMW M1 Procar. Created in 1979, the BMW M1 Procar Championship pitted the top racing drivers from around the world against each other, using equal machinery.
Over 200 classics on display
The collection of cars at Hillsborough Concours was diverse, ranging from pre-war vintage machinery, through to the latest supercars. Even a gold DeLorean DMC-12 could be seen on the show field.
Hillsborough Concours d ‘Elegance Chairman Glen Egan commented that: “This year’s Concours exceeded all expectations in terms of both entrants and attendance”.
He added: “After missing last year due to the COVID pandemic, it was especially gratifying to witness the enduring enthusiasm from the car community and sense the feeling of being back together, sharing our passion.”
In fairness, some of them weren’t bad. The Ford C-Max drove like a tall Focus; the Volkswagen Touran was very roomy; sitting in a Citroen C4 Picasso felt like being in a spaceship. But most of them shared the same compromises, such as a van-like driving position, soggy handling and, worst of all, a ‘tank of mum and dad’ image.
When SUVs came along, people could trade some but not all of the practicality boost for an even higher-set and confident driving position, rugged-feeling suspension and a far cooler image. It was a winning trade. Remember the Volkswagen Tiguan TV ad?
People abandoned MPVs in their droves. So much so, car manufacturers stopped launching new ones. Some MPVs even morphed into SUVs – see how the Peugeot 3008 transformed between generations. Renault proclaimed when launching the latest Scenic that it was a ‘make or break’ MPV. It looks broke.
This is notable, for it was Renault that invented the family MPV sector in the mid-1990s. Two decades later, it’s almost entirely faded away, with SUVs taking their place. So what should the MPV owner who wants the most practical, space-efficient car possible, but who doesn’t want to do the automotive equivalent of move into a smaller but more expensive house, buy instead?
Enter the salvation of the MPV sector: the van-based people carrier.
Living in a box
They’ve been around as long as the MPV itself, ever since Citroen put windows and seats in a Berlingo van and created the Multispace, the true ‘multi purpose vehicle’. For years, this was a bit of a French secret, the sort of thing the offspring of 2CV evangelists now drove. Cheap, tough, comfortable and enormously practical, the Berlingo Multispace was a revelation, sold by the bucketload and inspired multiple rivals.
We Brits have always been a bit sniffy about such things. Hey, we would much rather have bigger alloy wheels than better ride comfort. The thought of swapping a Volkswagen Tiguan for a Volkswagen Caddy Life is the automotive equivalent of wearing jeans to a cocktail party.
But for those who don’t care about snobbery, they are exceptional. They are big and square, so interior space is mammoth. The latest generation of vans are virtually as sophisticated as cars; add in car-like comforts and there’s little compromise in terms of interior ambience. They feel unbreakable and somehow give you that van driver’s confidence, which is always worth an inch in any battle over road space.
Sliding doors in the rear are super-flexible, all three rear seats are genuinely cavernous, and the seven-seater ones are actually usable for seven people, too. As for boot space – again, it’s van-like. SUV boots seem piffling by comparison.
How do I know this? Because I’ve spent the past week testing a Volkswagen Caddy Life. The review will be coming soon, but let me tell you, if it was up to the family, it would be getting six stars. They thought it was absolutely brilliant.
Caddy daycare
For friendly family jaunts, it’s magic. Better than any true MPV ever was. This is all thanks to the SUV: people never really wanted to buy MPVs anyway. The SUV is something they do actually desire, and are buying by the bucketload.
And those who simply need the space, or don’t give two hoots for the style snobs, now have something even more perfect for their needs than ever before.
With hybrid power, and an enviable specification, the car up for grabs is likely to attract plenty of attention.
Super-rare, super-expensive
First shown as a concept at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, Porsche intended the 918 Spyder to compete with the Ferrari LaFerrari and McLaren P1 hypercars.
Following the level of attention generated by potential customers, Porsche pushed the 918 Spyder into production in late 2013.
However, only 918 cars would be produced, with buyers needing more than $900,000 to consider owning one.
Hybrid theory
Making the 918 Spyder special was the use of a mid-mounted 4.6-l V8 engine, combined with a pair of electric motors. It means the 918 has an all-wheel drive setup, aiding traction and acceleration.
The naturally aspirated V8 engine offers 559 horsepower alone, along with 398 lb-ft of torque. Combined with the electric motors, the 918 Spyder produces an epic 875 horsepower and 944 lb-ft of torque.
Using a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, the 918 Spyder can accelerate from 0-62 mph in just 2.6 seconds. An official top speed of 214 mph put the 918 in true hypercar territory.
Fast charging machine
Equipping the 918 Spyder with a hybrid powertrain created more than extreme performance. The 6.8 kWh lithium-ion battery allows the Porsche to travel up to 12 miles on electric power alone when fully charged.
A typical household plug socket would take around seven hours to recharge the battery, with a fast-charging point cutting this down to around two hours.
It makes for a hypercar, complete with a carbon fiber monocoque chassis, that can potentially be driven without emissions. Or guilt.
Added lightness included
The original purchaser of this 918 Spyder opted to specify the $84,000 Weissach Package. Intended to deliver even greater performance, it brought less weight and improved aerodynamics.
Weissach models use exposed carbon fiber for the windscreen frame, rear spoiler, and a larger rear diffuser. A set of magnesium wheels were bolted on, with Alcantara trim found inside the cabin.
The shimmering Liquid Metal Silver paint was another substantial option on this particular car. Picking the nine-coat finish added a further $63,000 to the price. For peace of mind, paint protection film has been applied to the Porsche.
Along with a front axle lift system, there is also a cup holder to make life with the 918 Spyder easier.
Bidding is now open
Out of an already limited production run, fewer than 300 examples of the 918 Spyder came to the United States. It means ownership opportunities for this mid-engined marvel are hard to come by.
Having been driven for less than 5,000 miles, and with routine maintenance up to date, this Californian car is deeply desirable.
Bidding on Collecting Cars is live now, with the auction set to run until August 1st.
Fewer new cars than forecast are set to hit British roads for the remainder of 2021 as semiconductor supply issues continue to hit production.
Analyst Cox Automotive says this latest quarter is set to be down almost 18 percent on the 20-year average for new car registrations.
For the full year, it’s set to be even worse, with the latest downward adjustment to 1.823 million cars representing a 21.1 percent reduction on the pre-Covid 20-year average.
This is despite pent-up demand seeing buyers clamouring for new cars – a situation Cox Automotive director Philip Nothard describes as “a perfect storm”.
“To get around the challenges and the reliance of technology in vehicles today, manufacturers are refocusing the available materials towards their most popular and profitable models for the time being – EVs, hybrids and higher-margin vehicles such as SUVs and even their commercial vehicle divisions where there is increased demand.”
The losers? Cheaper, less profitable models, and smaller city cars – which is where new car buyers may therefore find particularly acute shortages.
From new to used
It is the used car sector that is benefitting from the challenges faced by new car buyers. “Arguably, the used car market has never had this much influence on the industry as a whole,” said Nothard.
“Buyers are flocking towards used cars with money to splash after a largely inactive year, and dealers are enjoying an uplift in activity as a result.”
And as new car shortages are generally not expected to be resolved until the first half of 2022, “the knock-on effects in the used car market will be around for some time yet”.
Schools breaking up for summer and the pandemic-related staycation surge are set to create a ‘perfect storm’ of incredibly busy conditions on UK roads between now and the weekend.
An estimated 11.5 million road trips are set to take place by the end of the weekend, says the RAC – with today (21 July) set to be the busiest day with 2.6 million family trips alone.
Friday 23 July will also be busy with 2.3 million leisure trips.
The RAC is warning journey times are likely to be “severely affected” and traffic experts Inrix predict there will be a 29 percent increase in delays on Friday compared to a normal July.
RAC Breakdown spokesman Simon Williams said: “We seem to have all the elements of a perfect storm on the UK’s roads this summer – with millions of drivers having already planned their staycation trips, plus the very real prospect of huge numbers more booking last minute if their foreign travel plans end in tatters because of Covid travel restrictions.
“With the current heatwave, the scene is really set for an incredibly busy few weeks on the country’s roads.”
Motorways will be affected, he said, but so too will smaller, minor routes leading to popular tourist destinations.
“It’s never been more important to plan ahead to avoid the busiest times.”
Inrix analyst Bob Pishue also said motorists should expect delays. However, “knowing when and where congestion will build can help drivers avoid the stress of sitting in traffic, and our advice is to leave as early in the day as possible and to avoid travelling on Friday afternoon if at all possible”.
Williams added that motorists should not risk making things worse with a breakdown en route – particularly as millions of motors may only have been driven short distances during Covid travel restrictions.
“It’s not too late to reduce your chances of breaking down. This is why we can’t stress enough how important checking tyres, oil and coolant levels is.”
Day-by-day guide to delays
Wednesday 21 July
Worst time to travel: 2pm and 6pm
Best time to travel: after 6pm
Specific delay hotspots: M25 anticlockwise J17-12, M25 anticlockwise J4-J1
Thursday 22 July
Worst time to travel: 2pm and 7pm
Best time to travel: after 7pm
Specific delay hotspots: M25 anticlockwise J4-J1, M25 anticlockwise J7-J16
Friday 23 July
Worst time to travel: 11am to 7pm
Best time to travel: after 8pm
Specific delay hotspots: A303 West Solstice Park to A36, M4 east J29-J24
Saturday 24 July
Worst time to travel: 10am to 4pm
Best time to travel: after 5pm
Specific delay hotspots: M25 clockwise J7-J16, M5 south J15-J23
Sunday 25 July
Worst time to travel: 12pm to 6pm
Best time to travel: after 7pm
Specific delay hotspots: M25 clockwise J7-J16, M25 anticlockwise J4-J1, A303 West Solstice Park to A36
